JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. — Under a new state law, new moms in Missouri will have their Medicaid coverage extended from 60 days to one year after giving birth.
In January during his annual State of the State address, Gov. Mike Parson said Missouri ranks 44th in the nation for its abnormally high maternal mortality rate. He went on to say this is “embarrassing and absolutely unacceptable.”
More than half of the country has already extended Medicaid coverage for new moms and the bipartisan legislation approved by the General Assembly this year is not only expected to save lives but cover thousands of women who would otherwise go uninsured two months after giving birth.